Tribute
by AlineLopes
Summary: Tribute is about the adventures of my Magi after Awakening. It stars right after Mother's defeat, and tells her travell back to Virgil's Keep and after to meet the characters of Origins, Alistair being her love. Will work at the summary Sorry!
1. Chapter 1

N/A : Hello! I'm Aline and this is my first DA fanfiction, and my first one in english for that matter... so, every review about the story itsef or grammar is openly welcome ^^

Let me know somehow if it is at least readable, because I have billions of ideas for this fic and if it have some acceptance I will gladly att \o

This is about my firt character at DA – Origins that i could export to Awakening, the begining is exactly at the end of Awakening and will tell the Naoku's journey back to Vigil's Keep and after that her meeting with the other characters of Origins, Alistair being the pair of my character.

I hope you have fun ^^

BioWare owns it's all, i'm just having a lot of fun!

Naoku in a frenzy of anger, fear and something of vengeance, still without know her friends' fate, left behind at Vigil's Keep three nights before, that now seemed like three lifes ago, throw her staff at the floor, somepart of her mind screaming in alarm that something scrapped the blue metal or about cracks that could appear in the crystal. The air around her suddenly got warm e the young comander of the Grey Warden felt her own life force turning into plain energy, of her hands left lightning that she hustled against the montruous body in front of her; at the same time she felt the odour that her magic was making at the Mother's skin, she felt her anger grown up and breathed before she gave another pull, even more strong, more lightning arised, shuting the being's deperate scream that, in the last months, sacrificed countless lifes for a empty goal.

Just as the misshapen mass that was her enemy fell without any other moviment, she began to get to the exit. She didn't need to look back to know that her friends were behind her, however, something inexplicable made her turn againg. Mother, that now doesn't seem anything but a huge, sickening, blood moist, flesh ball, made bile come up her throat. How much more she would have to fight to save people from this kind of monster? How many of them could born from Archtect's Awakening?

Her thoughts was stopped by Sigrun, just the one that judged her from her choice os trusting in a monster in hope that never again, a Blight would rise; she gave her her staff, forgotten moments later. Naoku smile was tired, noticed the dwarf, the Magi turned to Nathanael and Oghren tired faces as well. She knew that herself was with the same features, but they couldn't wait. Without a word, all of them driven themselves on the way back through the towers, now empty. Several minutes later, when they left the lair and a soft breeze touched theirs face, Naoku felt better, however not a pound of her burden was lift from her shoulders.

She felt, with her being every fragment that she have been done the right choice saving what was left of Amaranthine, yet, that wasn't enough to cease the worry about her friends, her people. Vigil's Keep couldn't have been better protected in such a short time since the last attack and she could take over her place of comander. However a million possibilities lay before her mind.

Something withdrew her from her thoughts again. Naoku noticed a dim light with the corner of her eye. In the time she have to turn, Archtect has already full materialized. The Magi felt when her friends tensed up, every one of then awaiting any sign of treachery to bury countless arrows in the body, cut by half the creature or finish him off decapitanting his head with double blades. With just a hand's wave, Naoku stopped them.

"I simply wished to thank you again, young Comander." The creature's incredible human voice in front of her startled her. So she remembered the things Mother said before she gave in the fight and without notice, sighed regretfully. Seeing through the thoughtfull way of his young ally, because that was the way he saw her now, a ally, Archtect forced himself to give her a salute, bowed almost all the way down his knees, in a deep and quiet act.

Sigrun gasped, seeing how the being's neck was exposed to her dagger. In two steps she could make the decision in her Comander's place and finish the insane idea of darkspawn that 'grew counscious' and also could attack with knowledge. But her moment's waver, thinking about the way Naoku chose to save the city's people not too much ago, made her miss the opening.

Arquitecth got up and, with his eyes glued to the Magi in front, added "I'm immensely indebted, young Comander. As I have already said, I do not, by any means, search to betray the trust you laid at me in a so dificult time you are passing through. I hope that in the future, my kind and yours can be just believable and understandable as such as ourselves." That said, he departed, in a known has just himself way, desapaired in thin air, lefting behind just leaves that flew to the groud.

Naoku sighed again, still without know if this was of relief or woeful , so she asked everybody to keep walking. They strided, stopping just when in really need, or to hunt something to eat. They travelled all night long. At almost midday in the day after, Naoku noticed she couldn't keep on that and allowed herself and the others some rest. Nathanael soon hunt something and fix them something to eat, after that, everybody sat down to sleep. The Magi volunteer to take the firt shift to watch; she wouldn't get much sleep anyway.

Despite the fire don't be exactly a danger in the day light like it is at night, Naoku quenched out the fire, using a simply ice magic, to prevent the smoke to sign their position. They were at a small wood that seems to be the safest place they were in the last days, so she sat against a tree before a plain emerge. She stared at the horizon, at the direct of her goal.

Vigil's Keep could stand it. She had to believe that if she wanted to going on. She had already made tough decisions in the last two and a half, almost three years, since she joined the Grey Warden and Duncan's death, when she found herself taken in the middle of situations that she could only lead or die, however, anything she had to do was not more dificult that chose between help her friends and save a nearly destroyed city. She trusted Anders and Velanna, and believed that Justice, the spirit prisoner inside Kristoff's body, had the force to help in defence of the place, however, nothing but the feeling that she had somewhat betrayed them filled her thoughts.

As keeped happening since she took over as Comander at Vigil's Keep, Naoku's thoughts was interrupted. Hearding metal agains metal and seeing by peripehral sight the height of her assaulter , deduced that was one of the dwarves and with some effort she didn't closed her eyes in exasperation, guessing it was Sigrun that would say her jugdement about her letting Arquitecth leave again.

But, to her amazement , listened to the caracteristic sound of Oghren cleaning his throat, getting her atention. The young Magi looked at his way and nodded. "Comander." Greeted the warrior. "Oghren." She said "How many times do I have to tell not to call me that?" she didn't looked up at him, but he knew her for time enough to know that she was serious. "'orry Coman... ehr, Naoku, but, like that, my ale ended up yesterday, ya know, soberness sucks." He laughed openly and the Magi let herself smile.

Both stayed at silence for some time. In certain way, enjoying each other presence in friendship. The warrior thinking that was a goog feeling know that the threat was one more time out of the fight, that was when he noticed the shadowy glance Naoku was giving the horinzon again. "ya know Comand..." he grunted aloud, awaking Nathanael, that dozed nearby "Naoku" he started again "I wanted to thank you." The woman waited until Oghren explained himself, not too focused at the convesation, but once noticed he wouldn't go on, turned to him. "Well" the dwarf tickled his head uncomfortable, "if since I left Orzammar, I have to thank someone for being alive, that someone is you." She first felt astonished, but smiled kindly to her friend. Soon enough, the dwarf amazed her one more time, saying, while getting up to left her alone again "What I mean is, everything that you are capable, even what seemed impossible to do, to keep a large number of people safe, you did. If... someone, anyone, tell you or just imply to you, something else, I want you to let me know." Then he left, before she felt able to answer.


	2. Chapter 2

N/A: Hello again! Here is the second chapter ^^ sorry that it keep so much time to update... But I hope you enjoy this how much as I.

Bioware owns it all.

Nathanael, noiseless such as only he and a few could, heard the dwarf warrior get back to where he had chosen to rest. The archer felt exausted, however, sharing the same worry that his Comander about their friends, his thoughts were running free.

Between a chink in the bush, he could see Naoku leaned against a tree, her knees in her chest and her staff leaned against her left shoulder, trapped in her crossed arms. As he met the young Grey Warden, and just after that she proposed that he could be made one of the Order, his first impression that she was cruel, because she let his name be stripped of titles and lands, was changed by the certainty that that woman could only be insane.

He couldn't be more sure of that when found out that to be turned in a Grey Warden he would have to drink darkspawn blood and he feared that he could be made into a total different person after that. After woken up after the ritual, in a small but cosy bedroom, that would became his then and beyond, he vaguely noticed a slightly stir. He opened his eyes and saw himself alone, however, just as he could made himself more confortable, the red head Magi got in the room, followed by the maid, that probably had called her, and now brought a tray with food.

The exotic and surprisingly suitable grey eyes of the Comander of the Grey Warden seemed to be amused as she returned his equipment that was taken from him when he was arrested "You may don't believe, but I'm grad you managed to survive." That said, she left.

They met again just somedays after, when they left in a hurry to follow the thack that someone gave about the whereabouts of a missing Warden. It is uncanny to think that this one is now the one they call just by Justice, serious and glum warrior, that, he only hoped, was now at Vigil's Keep. If the fortress stood yet now. At that first mission he acomplished as a Warden, Nathanael was yet getting used to the ability of being able to fell the cursed blood in his companions. His Comander easily spoted, despite his lack of experience, maybe because she was the one tainted longer.

Now, months later of when he joined that warriors, he learned to live with each one of them and let go the hatred that he carried since found out about his father death. He had seen and heard too much things to blindly believe that a wicked man as his father was, was the victim at that episode. He once thought that the time he have passed in Free Marchers was necessary to his growth, to be able to be a warrior. However, the time alongside women, a spirit and a drunk warrior, was the one that made him a honourable man. These was the most well spent of his life's days, he noticed that not long ago. He matured much more in six months that in years of training.

But he knew that there is always something else to do, someone else to save or help, and he also knew that if he wanted to do that, Naoku was the person to follow.

A soft whisper came of his Comander direction, and he was capable of hearing it just because of his skills, he noticed, somehow satisfied. Naoku was still at the same position, looking in the same direction, but, there was something softer in her expression, he observed, after a better look. The whisper came again, louder "Oh, Alistair." And an already ancient and ambiguous feeling came back to take over the young Howe.

He had heard that name countless times over the past months,but never by the one, according to what was said, was the most interested. Without noticed, Nathanael leaned over himself to better see Naoku's moviments. She was it a small smile in her lips while touched them with her fingertips, certanly lost at some memory. He reddened when had the thought that had never seen such a smile in her mouth before.

They sure had already laughed together, alongside the others, or by themselves every time they heard a Oghren speech, ale soaked. But never one as sweet as the one she smiled at that moment. He realized that the most perverted stories was untruthfull, and the most epics, the most umbelieveble, should be the ones that held the truth.

What he couldn't denied anymore was the fact that she did was totally in love with the said templar.

By the time everyone was up and they decided to keep going, the night have fallen by the small woods at least two hours ago. They discussed and came with a agreement that travelling at night could be a advantage. They were at laest ten hours of their goal, and if it could be reached in the first day's hours, the enemies could not be aware of theirs approach.

The trip was quiet, interrupeted often just by Oghren and Sirgun's coments about Orzammar. When them reached what was believed to be half the way, the sight of the dark fortress silhouette, still the smallest point on the horizon, made each one stop to watch. It wasn't possible to see precise details, but they were sure that at least the tallest towers were up. There was a smoke trace climbing up to the sky, somewhere near to one side, that alone capable of making every heart skip a heartbeat. Trying not to let this fear spot them, the foursome started walking again.

From the way they were coming, the elevation was higher, because of that they could see their temporary home. The way until Vigil's Keep was still far, and in it several small hills, so for the next hours they have lost and reagained sight of the stone fortress countless times. As they were turning over one particularly high hill, Nathanael, always alert, changed a warning look with Naoku, after getting her atention with a short whisper. She, in the group's head, signed to everyone to stop.

The young Howe prepared a arrow at his bow and stealthly, trying to use the shadowns of the still to be day, to hide himself from the possible enemies, started to walk alone to where thought to have heard some noise. In the undergrowth, some steps later, he saw a fallen waggon, it's back wheels turning against the air; the assaut seemed to be recent. Just a couple of steps more and he could listen to brutes grunts of something feeding. Looking aorund, he noticed a small group of darkspawn eating the misfortuned traveller in the floor, almost behind the conduction once his, the animals were dead some place not so far.

Turning to look at his friends that were yet many steps behind, he nodded. Naoku nodded back, wearing a look that he already knew as to wait for her, before she looked back to the others. The most silently possible, the dwarves prepared theirs blades. The Magi seemed to say something to them before walking to Nathanael. The young man still was caught off guard when she showed such a natural skill to abilities that he had to train exhaustively to master, she wasn't somewhere near his skill at all, however, without getting even a look from their sensitive enemies, that lost in their hunger, couldn't even sense the taint in them, she prepared herself to cast a spell, lifting her arms.

Seconds later a huge fire column seemed to emerge in thin air, all around the enemies. As fast as possible after summon the fire, the young Magi waved a hand to her friends to make them come near, she was promptly obeyed. She shorted a couple of steps from the darkspawn that, even burning, were ready to stand up and fight. So she lifted her staff once more and with a scream that could be a war cry if it wasn't at some ancient and strange language, she somehow stopped the monsters actions. They looked like numb, stunned.

Nathanael didn't wait to the order that was sure was to come and started his on slaughter with deadly accurated arrows. Oghren and Sigrun arrived in time to slay, with a few strokes, one that was not affected by Naoku's magic stun. The fire and arrows finishing off the rest of them.

As fast as it had began the battle was over, Oghen grumbing about how Naoku never let monsters enough for him. The Warden Comander aproched the corpses, asking the others to look for something useful on the ground. In a way she regreted using a so destructive magic once noticed the traveller body, as burned as the enemies, but she wanted to believe that he wouldn't mind that in place of be darkspawn food. With Sigrun help, she put the body into the waggon, now up into the four wheels and casted a simple spell to burn the wood along with it's owner. None of them was exactly religious, but everyone aking The Maker to take the man's soul somewhere clean of wars.


End file.
